Sunderland’s Adam Johnson pleads guilty to sex with a child

Sunderland winger Adam Johnson pleads guilty in court to one count of sexual activity with a child and another of grooming.

A Premier League midfielder faces trial beginning Friday on two additional sex charges after pleading guilty Wednesday in a British court to sexual activity with a child.

Sunderland’s Adam Johnson, 28, appeared in Bradford Crown Court in Yorkshire and admitted to one sex count and another count of grooming stemming from his March 2015 arrest for having sex with a 15-year-old girl in January of last year.

Johnson, 28, also has played for Middlesbrough and Manchester City and has earned 12 caps for England’s national team. He previously had denied all charges before entering guilty pleas on the sex count and grooming, while still denying two other counts for sexual activity with the same girl.

The initial trial date of Aug. 3, 2015 was adjourned, and Johnson has made 28 appearances for Sunderland since his initial arrest. He joined Sunderland for 10 million pounds — approximately $ 14.5 million — in 2012.

IAN MACNICOL/AFP/Getty Images

Adam Johnson is expected to continue to play for Sunderland during his trial.

According to the Daily Mail, Judge Jonathan Rose told a jury on Wednesday: “You may see reference to this in the press, but it’s the evidence in court that you will gather. This defendant has already pleaded guilty to two offences, and you will hear more about them in detail when (the prosecutor) opens the case to you on Friday. It will be for you and only you to determine if he is guilty or not guilty (on the remaining charges).”

Sunderland manager Sam Allardyce has said Johnson will continue to play while the trial is on-going, The Daily Mirror reported.

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